Lieut. Cyril Fyfe's formal firefighter hat lies on top of his casket draped with a City of Yellowknife flag. At the end of the service, the flag was folded up, placed into the hat, and presented to Fyfe's family. - Aaron Whitfield/NNSL photo

Brent Reaney
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 30/05) - About 35 volunteers from the Rotary Club manned the red barricades designed to keep vehicles off Franklin Avenue during Monday's funeral procession.

Many drivers waited patiently at Franklin Avenue intersections as the volunteers handed out black memorial ribbons. The pins were free, but donations were appreciated.

City hall employees started putting together the ribbons, held together by small, gold-coloured knives, shortly after firefighter Kevin Olson died March 17.

A few days prior to Monday's funeral for Lieut. Cyril Fyfe, Yellowknife firefighters and their family members joined in. The volunteers were looking for a way to distribute the thousands of ribbons.

"We thought, well let's try to solicit donations for the Fyfe family trust," said Rotary volunteer and ex-firefighter Garth Wallbridge while waiting for the funeral procession to begin.

The ribbons will be at some Yellowknife businesses for the next while. Those wanting to donate to the trust can visit the Yellowknife TD Canada Trust.